JetPilotBikeRac

As someone who was there for all of LAX, I feel the need to clarify some of this information about how LAX went down. For starters, the whole LAX base for ASA and XJT occurred while Delta was in bankruptcy. And as such, one of the biggest opponents to Deltas reorganization plan was the Los Angeles World Airport Authority. They were upset that Delta was squatting on an entire concourse of gates and many were not used for large blocks of time each day. LAX has a waiting list of new airlines wanting gate space and they wanted Delta to give up their gates. Delta responded with the idea to start using them and launch service around California and into Mexico. Being a completely new, and unvetted market, they wanted a small aircraft. Skywest was already operating there, but had no-compete clauses with UAL. This left Comair and ASA as the choice. ASA was getting kicked out of SLC because Uncle Jerry didn't want the big bad union to corrupt his holy airline. So off to LAX we go. Base announced Fall '06. Opened in Dec. About March, we were told we were being replaced by XJT in June. This has nothing to do with performance. Ours was stellar. We only had 5 airplanes and 16 round trips a day in So Cal weather. This was about corporate greed and a complete lack of compassion to employees. Hindsight being 20/20, the deal with XJT was most likely made a little after the deal with ASA, but before ASA opened the base. XJT was unable to start the service as the aircraft were still in service with CAL and they needed until summer. ASA continued to brand the whole LAX base as a permanent, long term thing. But then we started getting our SIDA badges and they were only good for 7 mos. People started asking questions and all of a sudden we didn't need Sida. Then we get our parking passes and they issued us monthly passes. We parked in the same lot as every other airline that all had yearly passes. Then, nobody questioned that our own mechanics could not work on our aircraft while it was in LAX because the company did't want to spend the money to become CAL OSHA compliant. In the end they paid for a few dozen moving bills and saved millions in hotel bills and lied all the way to the bank.

So, please spare us the "ASA was shut out due to poor performance" when you don't know, and you certainly didn't live through it.

Nevets

Ok, I apologize about the performance comment. I honestly remember that being the case. This information came from multiple delta gate agents. They always complimented us on getting them in shape as far as the ramp operation. We just always did what we did on the CAL side, that is always being on the radio asking for masherllers, jetway drivers, fueler catering, lab service, etc. Many of them said that ASA pilots would just sit there and do nothing about anything.

By the way, many employees get month to month parking passes. I know UAL employees all get month to month parking passes, as did we.


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tothebigblue

SKYW closing DTW base? any truth to this?

EDIT: SKYW INC. (not the airline) closing DTW base

Tacos

Do you mean SKYW Inc closing THEIR maintenance base? Or they are making ASA close our pilot base?

tothebigblue

worded my post all wrong........
Correction:
Rumor of ASA side closing DTW base....any truth to this?

AtlCSIP

It is true that this is a rumor.

IIRC, the contract was only for 5 years, so closing at contract end is a reasonable rumor. That would be summer of 2016 or 2017, I don't quite remember which one.

tothebigblue

Cool!
In other news RAH just voted a contract....when do we get ours?

flynd94

Pay rates are one thing but what about work rules, insurance etc?

dudewheresmycar

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvx9VjWUBY0&feature=youtu.be

We have our own music video. Actually nicely done. And the company just announced a new avenue for new pilots to apply: www.expressjet.com/apply

Now the union needs to get a contract done that benefits new hire and veteran pilots equally.

CL65driver

Thanks for sharing that video... I needed a good laugh.